Buffalo Medical Malpractice Lawyer

One mistake or negligent act can change a patient’s life forever. Doctors and other medical professionals have a duty of care to their patients. When a healthcare professional fails in that duty, people can suffer severe and life-altering injuries.

At Towey Law, PLLC, our Buffalo medical malpractice attorneys have the experience and skill to recover the compensation you deserve. If you or a loved one has suffered harm due to medical negligence, our dedicated legal team is here for you.

Why Choose A Buffalo Medical Malpractice Lawyer From Towey Law?

When your representation matters, choose a medical malpractice attorney who can provide compassionate service and aggressive advocacy:

We have successfully recovered over a million dollars in damages for our clients in Buffalo’s personal injury cases.
The attorneys of Towey Law PLLC have close ties to the community, having been born and raised in Buffalo, New York.
Whether by phone, video call, or in person, the attorneys at Towey Law PLLC make their clients’ convenience a top priority.

Why You Need Representation in Medical Malpractice Claims

Medical malpractice claims are very complex. Due to the specialized training of medical professionals, negligence can be challenging to prove.

An experienced medical malpractice lawyer will:

Show that other medical professionals in the same situation would have acted differently to prevent your injuries.
Establish the extent of the harm you have suffered due to the carelessness of your medical provider.
Place a value on the pain, suffering, and emotional distress caused by your injuries.
Hire experts to prove that negligence or malpractice was the cause of your injuries.
Skillfully present your pain and suffering in a manner that an otherwise healthy person can understand.

The success of your medical malpractice claim will depend heavily on your attorney’s ability to show the treatment you received failed to meet the accepted standard of care. Call the Buffalo accident attorneys at Towey Law, PLLC to discuss your case today.

What Types of Claims Can a Medical Malpractice Attorney Handle?

Every patient has the right to feel safe in their doctor’s care. When that care is violated, the medical malpractice lawyers of Towey Law, PLLC are here to hold responsible parties accountable.

According to studies from Johns Hopkins Medicine, medical errors are the third leading cause of death for Americans:

9.5 percent of all deaths are attributed to medical errors.

Medical negligence is not always recognized immediately. In some cases, it may take days or months to notice symptoms. It is crucial that you act quickly once you suspect your health is at risk.

Medical malpractice attorneys represent a wide range of claims. The most common forms include:

Anesthesia errors
Failure to treat or prevent infections
Incorrect treatment
Failure to treat: especially where treating a condition sooner may have prevented a further injury
Misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis: including misdiagnosing cancer as a less serious illness.
Surgical mistakes: such as wrong site surgery, unnecessary surgery, retained foreign objects, or surgical infection.
Birth injuries: such as cerebral palsy, encephalopathy, or injuries due to forceps or vacuum-assisted birth
Pharmaceutical errors: such as fulfilling the wrong medication or incorrect dosage.

If a loved one has even passed away due to a medical worker’s carelessness, let the wrongful death lawyers in Buffalo help give you justice.

Important Evidence in Medical Malpractice Cases

As previously mentioned, medical malpractice claims are complex and legal actions can be lengthy. As a result, the evidentiary requirement is very high and there are a number of very important types of evidence for a successful claim. Some of the most important include medical records, expert testimony, medical bills, correspondence with healthcare providers or insurance providers, death certificates or autopsy reports (in the unfortunate event that your loved one has passed), pay stubs, and receipts for expenses. This evidence, and more, are necessary to both prove that medical malpractice occurred, was the cause of your injuries, and the extent of the losses you have incurred as a result.

What Damages Are Available in New York Medical Malpractice Cases?

A medical malpractice incident can be devastating and impact your life in ways that you may not imagine or fully understand initially. In addition to medical expenses, it may create significant financial pressures from lost wages during recovery or affect your future earning ability. It may cause long-term or permanent injury, leaving you or your loved one needing long-term care or rehabilitation treatment. The incident may have caused significant pain, suffering, or emotional turmoil.

A medical malpractice lawsuit, however, can help recover compensation for these expenses and losses in the form of compensable damages. In a medical malpractice claim, damages can be economic, non-economic, or (in very rare cases) punitive, and include;

Complete compensation for medical expenses
Lost income if you are unable to work
Loss of future earnings potential
Pain and suffering damages
Loss of enjoyment of life damages
Loss of companionship or loss of consortium
and more

Additionally, while many states have instituted caps on certain types of damages, New York does not have damage caps in medical malpractice claims.

How Long Do I Have to File a Medical Malpractice Case in New York?

In most cases, New York medical malpractice lawsuits must be filed within two years and six months from the date that the mistake, omission, or failure occurred. This deadline is known as the statute of limitations. However, there are many situations where this deadline may be lengthened or shortened depending upon the circumstances.

According to N.Y. CPLR 214-A:

§ 214-a. Action for medical, dental or podiatric malpractice to be commenced within two years and six months; exceptions. An action for medical, dental or podiatric malpractice must be commenced within two years and six months of the act, omission or failure complained of or last treatment where there is continuous treatment for the same illness, injury or condition which gave rise to the said act, omission or failure; provided, however, that:

(a) where the action is based upon the discovery of a foreign object in the body of the patient, the action may be commenced within one year of the date of such discovery or of the date of discovery of facts which would reasonably lead to such discovery, whichever is earlier; and

(b) where the action is based upon the alleged negligent failure to diagnose cancer or a malignant tumor, whether by act or omission, the action may be commenced within two years and six months of the later of either (i) when the person knows or reasonably should have known of such alleged negligent act or omission and knows or reasonably should have known that such alleged negligent act or omission has caused injury, provided, that such action shall be commenced no later than seven years from such alleged negligent act or omission, or (ii) the date of the last treatment where there is continuous treatment for such injury, illness or condition. For the purpose of this section the term “continuous treatment” shall not include examinations undertaken at the request of the patient for the sole purpose of ascertaining the state of the patient’s condition. For the purpose of this section the term “foreign object” shall not include a chemical compound, fixation device or prosthetic aid or device.

For this reason, it is likely in your best interests to speak with an attorney as soon as you suspect that you or a loved one may have been a victim of medical negligence or malpractice. Your attorney can examine the facts surrounding your case and help ensure that, should you have a valid case, it is filed within the statutory window.

Schedule a Consultation With a Buffalo Medical Malpractice Attorney Today

Medical malpractice cases can be very complicated. It is important to have an experienced Buffalo medical malpractice attorney by your side. Negligent healthcare professionals have caused life-altering and catastrophic injuries. We can help you protect your rights, recover damages for injuries, and ensure your past, present, and future healthcare needs are met.

If you or a loved one has been harmed by medical negligence, let Towey Law, PLLC secure the compensation you deserve.